About …if My People… (Feature)

Log Line

“Yet forty days and America will be overthrown.” A pastor receives and delivers this message via a video that goes viral; America responds and discovers that the roads to racial reconciliation meet at the cross.

Summary

2020 has proven to be one of the most challenging years in global history. COVID-19 followed by racial injustice protests and riots during a heated election year have exposed the disunity of the United States of America. This timely, heart wrenching film challenges Christians to face issues that divide them theologically, racially, denominationally, politically and in regard to gender.

America is a divided and wounded nation. …if My people… rips off the bandage, exposes past and present wounds, ultimately placing America in loving arms of Jesus Christ!

In a dream, God speaks to Pastor Lev (Anthony Shaw-Vaughan), and shows him America as God Himself sees it and says, “yet forty days and America will be overthrown.” Pastor Lev shares his dream, actually a vision from God, in a video that goes viral. Christians, non-Christians, and protestors converge on the small town of Stephens City, Virginia. Some to voice their indignation and others to fast and pray for forty days.

The Filmmakers

Producer/Writer/Director/Actor – Mark David Kennerly

Mark David Kennerly attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (NYC), worked as a professional actor and writer in NYC and Hollywood. Became a Christian in 1994 and a Pastor in 2004. Founded Impact Christian Church (formerly Center) in 2004. Has seen hundreds of lives and families conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Took a 23-year hiatus from the entertainment industry and has returned to focus on Christ center and family friendly entertainment.

Producer: Walls & Bridges (feature film) – Associate Producer, Don’t Let Your Meat Loaf 1992 (feature film) – Co Producer, Camp Allasso (staged play), Conquering Fear (short film) – Executive Producer.

Writer: Completed Feature; The Cleansing, The Sent Ones, …if My People…, The Journey, Supreme Court, (Co-Story & Co-Writer), Jimmy Mack (Co-Writer), Cure for the Common Cold (Treatment), The Invisible War (Treatment), ACTION (Treatment). Stage: Acts of theApostles (performed in Los Angeles), Camp Allasso *performed in Los Angeles). 

Director: Acts of the Apostles, Camp Allasso & Conquering Fear (short film). 

Actor: Lead (film) Walls & Bridges (Indie Feature), Jury Duty (UPN TV), Rebecca’s Bed (short), Billy Turner’s Secret (short), Occupational Hazard (short). Supporting: Drop Squad – Chris (Universal), Tales From the Crypt – Other Collector (Universal), A Matter of Principle – Jeb (American Playhouse), Martin – Police Officer (Universal). Stage: Jonin’ (NYC), A Soldier’s Play – Peterson (Los Angeles), Acts of the Apostles – Peter (Los Angeles), Tony’s Decision – Tony (NY) & Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Middletown VA).

Producer – Madison Kennerly

Madison is a Atlanta-based producer who has an eye for talent, both on and off screen. Since studying Cinematic Arts at Liberty University, she has produced 5 short films including,Politically Amused, Pilot, and Pieces. Besides producing narrative shorts, she also has experience in scripted television (Production OfficeCoordinator, Eleanor’s Bench), music videos (Production Coordinator, Shaped by Fire and Torn Between), and reality TV (Production Assistant,Ball In The Family ). Additionally, she has worked as 1st Assistant Director on The Kindness Club, and Brother Baby. Madison’s range of experience in the film and entertainment industry has taught her how to thrive in fast-paced environments while collaborating with talented artists and creators.

Cinematographer – Brian Johnson

Over 30 Years in Film and Television! In 2018, I walked away from a highly successful and lucrative corporate job as Creative Director in order to fully cater to the ongoing demands of my clients. I’m proud to say, I have a history of going over and beyond, which has resulted in business relationships that have lasted for years. After obtaining a Radio and Television Broadcast Degree in 1985, I began my professional journey with an NBC affiliate in South Carolina. Working as a video editor and camera operator, it wasn’t long before I realized the need for more creative challenges. So, in 1987, my passion for cinema would put me in Los Angeles, attending The Movie Group Institute. Here I would study Cinematography and Directing under the watchful eye of the late Actor, Ross Hagen (Gunsmoke, Mission Impossible). Soon after, I would go on to direct and shoot notables as Donald O’ Connor (Singing In The Rain), Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex In The City) and many others. Career Highlights include; the visual effects department for Paramount Television’s “seven Days” TV series, along with the Emmy winning CBS sports documentary, “The Life and Times of Pete Maravich,” in which I would be credited as Cinematographer. The show won two Emmys.

Casting Director – Mikayla Leybovich

Hi! I’m Mikayla. I love film! After showcasing my talent at AMTC’s SHINE event in 2014 I decided that I wanted to use that passion to create movies and television with Jesus. After turning down a scholarship to the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, and the New York Film Academy, I started working various films in the NoVa area, including the Daily Bread series as an actress while also running a coffee shop.

From 2016-2018 I worked with a team to co-create a pilot that was then reproduced as a feature film! Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh-Nos is now on Amazon and Apple TV. In 2018 I also got married to my best friend Herman. That was a busy year!

2019 was a year of rest, building a foundation and traveling with my husband.  After dreaming together we decided to develop Searchuos – a mobile app that connects people around the things they love. We hope the app will help small businesses recover from the effects COVID-19.

Alongside the entrepreneurial journey with my husband, I became the casting director for “If My People.” When I was asked to join the team, I didn’t realize how much I would absolutely love my job. I believe in the vision of the project and finding actors to fill these important roles has been awesome. God is joining me in this journey and I love Him for giving me this opportunity!

ACTORS

Anthony Shaw Vaughan – Role: Pastor Lev

Anthony was noticed for his talent and work on the feature film Tears of The Sun, where he was quickly bumped to Principal Cast by Ian Bryce, the film’s producer, after he was seen acting-in and choreographing a military drill scene for the film’s director Antoine Fuqua.

Anthony started his acting career at age 14, taking dramatic arts class in high school and has been acting professionally ever since. He went on to win numerous best actor awards with his thespian troupe and received 13 Dramatic Art’s Scholarships from several U.S. universities.

While yet in high school Anthony began making TV appearances in Michael Mann’s TV crime drama “Crime story” and later appearing in a Guess Star role in the Warner Brothers TV series “The Strip”.  Anthony has held leading roles and been a supporting cast member in multiple stage productions such as Fame, Raisin In The Sun, Westside Story, Barefoot In The Park, and the Wizard of Oz, with TV appearances on CSI, Ray Donovan, MTV, and Storage Hunters. He has also appeared in several national TV commercials for both General Motors and Microsoft directed by Spike Lee, along with many other starring and supporting roles in both Studio an independent films.

Anthony’s Career highlights include:

Performing for 5 years in multiple leading roles in Caesars Magical Empire, a $50 million dollar Las Vegas show produced by Landmark Entertainment Group inside Caesars Palace Hotel.  Performing in Caesars Club in Thessaloniki Greece in a starring role as Michael Jackson In The Michael Jackson Story. Touring Italy for over 4 years as a professional dancer in an American/Italian dance tour and employed as a professor of dance at Ceas School of Arts In Siracusa Italy.

Anthony keeps busy, while continuing to work as an actor, recently nominated for two Best Actor awards. He’s also an independent film producer and founder of Watchprty an Online virtual event company and BIGflixx…A Movie Theater and Drive-In delivery service that brings the movie theater  experience to the Moviegoer instead of them attending their local cinema.

Roderick Garr – Role: Deacon Lou

Roderick Garr is a graduate of Howard University with an B.F.A. in theatre and a minor in broadcast Production, Radio, Television & Film. Roderick has worked as an actor for the past 33 years in television, film and theatre. He has also gone behind the camera and worked in all facets of production as a producer, director, assistant director and assistant to the producer. He has worked with Spike Lee on two award winning projects If God Is Willing & da Creek Don’t Rise and Passing Strange. Some of his credits include: The Three Musketeers Candy Bar” campaign, Star Trek Deep Space 9 and “All My Children and countless voice overs. Rod has also owned his production company Imani Productions since 1995, which is a full-service production company that produces radio, film, television with a specialty in documentaries.

Stephanie Butron – Role: Minister Juana

Stephanie Butron was born in Washington, D.C and has been working as an engineer for several years. Before her role as Minister Juana, Stephanie won 2nd place in the Virginia Forensics league for her Dramatic interpretation of Esperanza from House on Mango Street. She acknowledged her passion for acting in 2019, and immediately began her training in the Theater Lab and Studio Acting Conservatory in the Washington D.C. area and focused on scene study courses and voice. Stephanie played the role of Duke Frederick in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. She will continue her training as a student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York in 2021. She enjoys discussing plays and connecting with her fellow actors in her weekly Play Club.

Jason Daniel Thompson – Role: Brucie

Jason Daniel Thompson has been acting since attending college at the University of Maryland. He has studied Meisner Technique under Douglas Farwell and has worked in film, television, commercials, music videos, animation and voice-over work. He has acted in several independent films and TV series such as VEEP and House of Cards. He has held leading roles in series such as Deadly Affairs, Nightmare Next Door, and Who the Bleep Did I Marry? He has also acted in AMC’s “Making of the Mob: New York” as Gambino crime family’s Philip Mangano.

Vance Beamer Washington – Role: Richie

In 2014, Vance Beamer Washington took his first acting class at the University of Old Dominion. Throughout the semester, it was clear that acting would become a lifelong occupation. Since opening up to the creation of art through acting. Vance has been focused on becoming a passionate and versatile artist. In his short career as an actor he has performed lead roles in short films, web series, supporting roles in a stage plays and background and extra work on multiple productions including Netflix’s “House of Cards” and AMC’s “Turn: Washington’s Spies”.

Julio Hernandez – Role: Jonathan

Julio Bana Fernandez started acting in theater at age ten at his elementary school, Our Lady of Fatima. He instantly fell in love with acting and has been doing it ever since. When he was sixteen years old he began studying acting and film and began working at age 18 with his first television role in “Nightmare Next Door” for Investigation Discovery. Not long after, he worked on the feature film “Love Different” with faith-based film legend Jenn Gotzon. He has since been apart of many independent films, commercials, and television shows. For a complete list of Julio’s work, you can check him out on IMDb. To keep up with everything he is doing in real time, he can be found on all social media platforms @juliobanafernandez.

Suzanne R. Neff – Role: Margaret

Suzanne R. Neff grew up singing and performing at a young age in Jacksonville, Florida. She studied Theater and Speech Communication and, while in graduate school, met her soon-to-be husband. In 1992, she married him and the Marine Corps.  Amidst deployments and family life, she would occasionally find time to audition for various projects.  After moving to the Washington DC area in 2009, Suzanne made her film debut in For the Glory. Suzanne has acted in short and feature films, national TV series, industrials, national and local commercials. She loves spending time with her family, singing and serving in her church. She also enjoys teaching Communication Studies and doing voice-over work at Northern Virginia Community College.

Joseph Moreland – Role: Pastor Fields

Joseph Moreland has had the honor of being cast for several commercials, national brand videos, feature films and on TV.  Joseph’s credits include “The Resident”, “Cobra Kai”, “Selma: The Untold Stories”, “Cherry” and “Double Walker”.  His love of the stage has resulted in numerous roles such as Oliver Hix in “The Music Man”, Cornelius Hackl in “Hello, Dolly!”, Underling in “The Drowsy Chaperone”, and most recently in “Mamma Mia” playing the role of Bill Austin.  Performing in the jazz show “Singables and Swingables” gave Joseph the opportunity to display his love of Jazz as a principal singer.   Always striving to improve his acting skills, Joseph has studied under acting coaches in New York, Los Angeles and Cincinnati.  Joseph has worked in improv, is an avid runner, tennis player and weight-lifter. He currently lives in Cincinnati, OH where he’s been blessed to raise 4 wonderful children with his wife, Sandy.

Tiffany Herndon – Role: Evangelist Vickie Young

Tiffany Herndon is a born and raised navy military brat. She grew up dancing and performing everywhere her family was stationed. When her family finally settled in Jacksonville, FL she was introduced to acting for the first time and was hooked. Tiffany took part in many local theater and productions including “A Dancers Blues”, “Group Therapy”, “Fried Eggs”, “Dream Chasers”, “Battle Scarred” and Jacksonville Theatre’s production of “To Kill A Mockingbird”. After getting married to her husband in 2016, Tiffany and her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she continued acting lessons and took part in the production, “Chosen” while 8 months pregnant! Moving to the Washington DC area in 2019, Tiffany is ecstatic to be making her film debut in, “If My People”.

Tiffany loves spending time with her husband and sweet baby girl. She also enjoys dancing (of course!), traveling and creating meaningful experiences.

Crystal Swann – Role: Silvia

CRYSTAL SWANN is an actor/comedian/writer with numerous television and film credits.  Most recently she co-starred in the David Bruckner directed horror thriller, The Night House, starring Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg and Vondie Curtis-Hall. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival and was quickly picked up by Searchlight Pictures. In addition to acting and stand-up comedy, she holds a 2nd degree black belt in Kung Fu; is an avid tennis player and founded a DC-based consulting firm.  Contact:  imdb.me/crystalswann;

Armando Horsey – Role: Will Ward

Armando Horsey is a Christian Actor, who has been involved in several stage and screen productions over the last 20 years. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre from St, Mary’s College of Maryland, and later received a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. His purpose in life is to “protect women and children by creating safe environments for them to worship and learn all over the world.” Currently, he works full time planning schools to meet a 21^stCentury Learning Environment amidst the COVID pandemic. He enjoys acting, foreign languages, travel, sailing, and volunteering for children.